The battle at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has scaled up after five staff members attached to suspended CEO Ezra Chiloba were forced to take leave on Friday.
Chiloba’s two personal assistants, two secretaries, and an office assistant were sent home.
A source at the poll agency said the Chairman Wafula Chebukati had fears that they would pass on information about the goings on at the commission to Chiloba.
The CEO was sent on compulsory leave three weeks ago. His bid to block the suspension at the High Court flopped.
He resigned to fate and moved to his farm in Kitale where he has been engrossed in transforming it into a model farm.
Read: Chiloba finds new job in Trans Nzoia as suspension continues
Chiloba when contacted expressed distaste with the action taken by the Chairman to send his assistants home.
“Why would anyone take differences between me and the commission to staff or the secretariat?” he asked according to the Star.
Some of the affected staff had pending leave days which they opted to take given the situation at the commission. IEBC Communications manager Andrew Limo confirmed the five staff members attached to Chiloba had taken leave.
Chebukati could not be reached for comment. He is reported to have been in a meeting.
Hussein Marjan, the deputy CEO is now in-charge of secretariat operations.
The rain started beating at IEBC after resignation of three commissioners-Vice Chair Consolata Maina, Paul Kurgat and Margaret Mwachaya.
The three commissioners said they lacked faith in Chebukati’s leadership. This was two days after Chiloba was sent home.
Their exit has thrown the commission into panic mode as business could come to a halt due to lack of quorum.
Currently, only Commissioners Bola Molu and Abdi Guliye are in office. Pressure has been piling on them to resign together with Chebukati but they have remained to stay put at IEBC.
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